


Neighbour

by TSVhide



Category: TwoSet, Twosetviolin, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-19 06:01:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 6,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29621697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TSVhide/pseuds/TSVhide
Summary: There was not a shred of doubt in Eddy's body that his neighbour was a professional musician. The sound was simply too crisp and clean for anything else to be an option. Besides, every time he saw him in the elevator, he had his violin case strapped to his back and a sheet music folder under his arm.
Relationships: Brett Yang & Original Character(s), Eddy Chen/Brett Yang
Comments: 15
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> //Angsty content, in particular spousal abuse (possibly unwanted sexual contact, but only insinuated). If you are unsure if you'll be triggered by this content, ask me for clarification BEFORE you read//

It was so pleasant, the sound that caressed Eddy's ears and made his heart warm up despite the grey weather outside. The grey clouds had been pushing his mood down all day, but the soft, somewhat muted tone of a violin passing through the wall just behind his couch was exactly what he needed to actually finish sorting his music folder like he had promised himself he would for the past week.

There was not a shred of doubt in Eddy's body that his neighbour was a professional musician. The sound was simply too crisp and clean for anything else to be an option. Besides, every time he saw him in the elevator, he had his violin case strapped to his back and a sheet music folder under his arm. On the weekends, he often had swapped his sweater and dark jeans for a suit and tidied his dark, messy hair up. The guy looked pretty handsome in Eddy's opinion, especially all dressed up for a concert, but even when he was in his casual sweater and jeans he could have been a model.

Of course, Eddy shouldn't be thinking about his neighbour like that at all. He shouldn't be thinking about the light tickle he got in the bottom of his stomach when his neighbour ran his hand through his dark hair or his adorable koala eyes because his neighbour was taken.

His neighbour had a boyfriend. A large guy with light brown hair, strong body and a tan. Just thinking about what that guy could do to him if he caught him looking at the much smaller violinist made Eddy almost shit himself with fear. He seemed like that kind of guy too, who would beat the crap out of anyone who dared look at _his_ man.

This man was the very reason he hadn't really dared to introduce himself properly to the guy when he moved in almost a year ago either. He had planned on going over to him ever since passing him on the way out of the elevator on the very first day in the apartment and spotting the instrument on his back. At first the shyness got the better of him, and when the big boyfriend showed up as well, making it awfully clear that the small koala man was _his_ by having him pressed against the wall outside their apartment door and kissing him hungrily, Eddy figured he didn't want it to be taken the wrong way. They would get to know each other eventually anyway.

A year in, though, and they had barely exchanged a nod on the way in and out.

Eddy had figured out what his name was, though. It said on the box next to his in the mail room, and he was certain it was the right one as he had met him in there one morning. He had seen him gather his mail in his dainty hands and lock his box back up before disappearing out of the room as quickly as he had shown up, leaving Eddy to realize he had been staring. He thanked the heavens for the fact that his neighbour's scary boyfriend was nowhere to be seen in that moment, but took a quick mental note of the guy's name from the little sign on the mail box.

Brett Yang.


	2. Chapter 2

It was getting dark out, and Eddy was still searching his shelf containing all kinds of books of scales, exercises and repertoire. This one student of his was having a problem he knew he used to have ages ago, and Eddy wanted her to try the same exercises that had loosened things up for him years ago. It was all about getting the explanation of it right, but he needed the book to remember it properly. 

Eddy ended up practically emptying his shelf over the course of an hour, making stacks of books and sheet music all over his living room before finding what he was looking for. He put it aside and went to grab himself a sip of water for a small break just as he heard the faint ding of the elevator through the wall, indicating that someone had gotten to their floor. Sometimes he wondered if these apartments were sound proofed at all, but then he remembered he never heard anything from the people living above him or below him. Only from the hallway and the only other apartment on this floor. At least he didn't have the constant sound of someone walking right above him.

The fact that he could only really hear the sounds from the other apartment on his own floor meant he knew who must have caused the ding. This was further confirmed when the sound of the neighbour's apartment door shutting was soft and gentle, like he didn't want to disturb. It was of course the small violinist, and not the big man he had figured was his boyfriend. The big man always slammed the door when he came, always existed so loudly 

He also existed loudly when the pair was intimate. Eddy really disliked hearing it, not because he cared that his neighbours were having sex, but rather that he never really heard anything from the smaller man to accompany the faint thumps, the bed creaks and the groans from the big man. But it wasn't really any of his business, anyway. Maybe the smaller guy just was quiet in bed? Maybe he was aware of the thin wall between their apartments and wanted to avoid disturbing him? 

Eddy shook his head to clear his thoughts and brought his glass of cold water back into the living room. Of course his neighbour wouldn't care if he heard them. If that was the case, he'd ask his boyfriend to be quieter too. He was probably just a more shy and quiet guy in the first place. It wasn't like he heard him talk much in general. 

The water felt good, and was needed after the workout it had been to empty his shelf of the many music books and music scores he had accumulated over many years. Maybe he would make a new system before putting it all back? It would be nice to not have to search for what he needed for his teaching like this, wouldn't it? It had taken up his whole evening, after all. A full evening he could have used to practice for the orchestra audition he was playing for in a few days instead. 

"Might as well, right?" he muttered to himself before emptying the glass and getting to his feet. Time to put everything back on the shelf, in a sensible order this time. 


	3. Chapter 3

Eddy was nervous. So very nervous. He had practiced the excerpts to as close to perfection as he could, he had the solo Bach they required ready, and he had looked over last years' sight reading pieces. His scales were in tune, his vibrato even, and he probably hadn't been this ready for an audition ever in his life. 

He realized that this was his chance, his shot at getting closer to his dream. The push he needed to get in the direction he wanted. This chance to be on the substitute list for a professional orchestra wasn't something he could pass up, and he was making the most of it. 

"Eddy Chen?" the lady who had been getting people for their turn asked the room of nervous violinists, most a few years younger than Eddy. 

"Yeah," Eddy replied, gathering his sheet music and his violin quickly. A few of the others gave him looks that said 'good luck' as he stood up. "That's me."

The walk down the empty hallway to the concert hall entrance backstage felt like it took forever, and it made his already fast heart rate speed up more. His hands felt clammy. He knew the concert master, the second violin section leader and the conductor in residence would judge his performance, and all of those people were amazing musicians he looked up to.

"Good luck," the lady told him as she opened the stage door for him. He froze for a moment, feeling like his feet were glued to the floor and like his heart was going to jump out of his chest. It took a second before he snapped out of it, but when he did he put on his brave smile and walked on with confident strides. 

"Mr Chen, correct?" a female voice, likely the voice of the concert master, asked from somewhere up in the seats. He couldn't really see them due to the lighting, only the shapes of them. It looked like a tall man, a larger woman and a shorter man. He figured the tall man was the conductor in residence, and the woman had to be the concert master. He didn't recognize the short man, though, as the second violin section leader was a middle aged woman. 

"That's me, yes," Eddy nodded as he put the orchestra excerpts on the music stand provided, next to the sight reading piece. It looked simple enough. 

"Welcome. Make yourself comfortable and then maybe we can start with the Shostakovich excerpt?" 

The Shostakovich. That was the one he was the least sure of. The one he had practically broken his fingers for. Of course they chose that one. 

The excerpt went pretty bad. Sure, he hit all the notes mostly in tune and mostly in time, but he had no extra capacity to make music with it. It was correct but it wasn't good. 

When Eddy walked off stage after being stopped halfway through his solo Bach, he was certain he wasn't anywhere near the skill level required for the job. 

"How'd it go?" the lady who had brought him there asked as she walked with him back through the corridor after sending the next nervous soul off to play for the jury. 

"Pretty bad," he admitted with a sigh, shaking his head. "I didn't manage to show what I can do at all. I know the second violin section leader is looking for musicality, because she said so last year, and…" 

"Oh, but she isn't here today. She's home with her sick kid. It's just some guy from her section who happened to be available today who's in the jury on her behalf," the lady interrupted him quickly. "So who knows, maybe you'll get lucky this time."

Eddy blinked a few times. That explained the short guy he saw the silhouette of in the jury.  
"Oh, I see. I still don't think so, though," he shrugged as they got back to where his case was, and where everyone else was waiting as well. "Thanks for the encouragement anyway, though."


	4. Chapter 4

The amazing taste of melted cheese on a piece of bread mixed with crushed tomatoes and some darn good pepperoni. The perfect meal to eat away your feelings with. Eddy just wanted to forget all about the audition, about the jury, about really messing up that Bach to the point where the concert master stopped him halfway through. 

That's why it was so frustrating to hear the same goddamned piece he had played at the audition through the wall with the violin god he had as a neighbour playing it. 

The worst part was that it started out sounding like he had just found the sheet music after ten years and then made it sound like he might perform it on a stage in front of thousands of people in the course of an hour. Why wasn't this guy a well known soloist yet? 

Unfortunately, the beautiful sound came to an abrupt halt with the ding from the elevator. The violinist never played when his boyfriend was there, which was odd to Eddy. Why wouldn't he share this beautiful music with the guy he loved? Surely he would be able to appreciate it, even if he wasn't classically trained, or even a musician at all? 

It didn't matter, though. Eddy was just happy to not have the reminder of the terrible audition anymore. He was just waiting for the email thanking him for showing up and wishing him good luck on his journey at this point anyway. Might as well just lie down on the couch and feel bad about life for a bit, right? 

That was of course not how that would go. Of course, this was the day his neighbours had decided to start fighting. 

_"Mike, you're drunk. Please just go to sleep,"_ he was pretty sure he heard his neighbour say in a relatively loud voice followed by some steps and a light thump. Then came the displeased groan from the buff man. 

_"Shut up Brett, just come to bed with me. Be a good boy, now."_

Eddy found himself gagging a bit at the sleazy voice and the knowledge of what would come after. The smaller man always seemed to let himself be talked into sex eventually, and Eddy was so not ready for those sounds through the wall. The creaks of the bed, the tiny whimpers from the smaller and the groans from the other. No thanks, that was not a good soundtrack for his temporary self loathing thanks to the bad audition. 

That's why he was so surprised by the answer that seemed unexpected for both him and this Mike guy. 

_"No, babe. You always go so hard when you're d… "_

Eddy decided he was not interested in hearing how Mike was in bed when he was drunk and rolled out of the couch, heading for his bathroom. He assumed Mike would be successful after a bit if convincing anyway, so it seemed like it was time to go to bed. Or well, at least to lie down in bed and scroll on twitter for a few hours until he passed out. He had the whole of the following day off anyway, giving him plenty of time to feel bad for himself then. No need to rush it. 


	5. Chapter 5

Eddy was absolutely exhausted, and just the thought of rolling out of bed and give feedback to a bunch of kids who didn't seem to actually want to learn violin made him want to call in sick for the day. Why did they come to the lesson if they never practiced anyway? Some of his students never practiced at home, no matter how much he tried to motivate them. 

They weren't the reason he was so tired, though. He was tired because his neighbours had fought almost all night every night since he came back from the audition. 

Normally, he couldn't hear anything from their apartment into his bedroom, so this wasn't really a problem. If he had issues with them making noise, he'd just go in there and everything would be solved. That didn't work anymore, though. Not since they started hitting things against the walls. It sounded like when they fucked, but so much louder, like they were doing it deliberately. 

It usually died down around two or three in the morning, though. Eddy had gotten up to go to the bathroom around that time once, and he was pretty sure they made up by fucking each other's brains out. 

That didn't change anything of how little Eddy wanted to be awake as he rolled out of bed and placed his feet on the cold, wooden floor. The sun was just too bright as he pulled back the curtains too. He just wanted to close them again and pretend he had overslept. 

He jumped a little when his phone rang from his nightstand, vibrating against the table. He could think of anyone who would call at this hour, and figured it had to be a telemarketer or something like that. He answered it anyway, though, sitting back on the bed. 

"This is Eddy. Who am I speaking with?" he said after pressing the speakerphone button. It was quiet for a moment before he got a reply. 

_"Hiya, this is Kirsten Williams, concertmaster of the CSO."_

Eddy almost forgot how words worked for a moment. Why would the concertmaster of the orchestra he had auditioned with as badly as he had call him? Would she cuss him out for even showing up? 

"How can I help you?" he heard himself say, giving him a few more moments to snap out of it and suppress the yawn forcing its way out. 

" _Congratulations, we've chosen to accept you for the substitute list position,"_ the concertmaster said in a friendly tone, and Eddy was pretty sure he was still asleep at that point. Surely the concertmaster wouldn't call him about that? They had only sent emails to his friends who had made it in the past…?

"Thank you so much! Wow, I did not expect that," he admitted on an exhale, running a hand through his hair. He had to stand up and walk around for a bit to get the adrenaline out of his system. This was insane!

 _"Now, there's just one thing I need to ask. How soon can you start?"_ the concertmaster asked, and Eddy got an inkling to why she was calling rather than emailing him from her tone. 

"I teach today, but I suppose I can move tomorrow's lessons out of the way… So tomorrow, I guess?" he summed up out loud, running a hand through his hair again, tugging it a bit to check he was actually awake. It felt like he was. 

_"Oh that's fantastic. We have a second violin who unfortunately had a sudden health problem. Would you mind stepping in for him? I can send you the music right now, and rehearsals start tomorrow. I know it's a bit short notice, but we really didn't expect to be so short staffed… "_

"No problem at all! Just email me the music and the details and I'll see you at rehearsal tomorrow." 

_"Perfect, can I just confirm your email address?"_


	6. Chapter 6

"You got this," Eddy whispered to himself in the mirror by the apartment entrance on the way out, a bit earlier than he had to, for his first proper orchestra substitution. He was so nervous, he could feel his hands get clammy and occasionally he got this silly smile from the excitement bubbling in him. He had of course been in youth orchestras, school orchestras and the university orchestra, but this was way different.

The sheet music hadn't been too bad, either. Something a seasoned player would have no issue picking up with minimal or no practice. He wanted to get it perfect, though, because he wanted to make a good impression. At least as close to perfect as one day of practicing in between teaching would allow. Eddy knew as well as anyone that the good and hard working subs were the ones considered first for the actual jobs. The players who showed team spirit and a high skill level were the ones they pushed to audition for the seats. That was Eddy's dream, to get to play with an orchestra every week. He didn't care if it was first or second violin, he just wanted to make music in a professional ensemble. 

He felt his back for his violin case, and his tote for the sheet music. Everything was there. Then he patted his pocket to make sure he had his phone, which he also did, before taking the door handle and opening the door. 

"Shit, sorry!" his neighbour said as the door practically opened in his face, taking a step back. "I'm sorry." 

"Oh no, I'm sorry. That was my fault," Eddy responded quickly, blinking a few times. He hadn't expected to run into anyone, obviously, let alone his neighbour with a violin case strapped to his back. "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry. I gotta run," his neighour said quickly, practically running over to the elevator. Eddy shut his door and locked it, not sure what to make of his behaviour. Maybe he just was in a rush? 

Eddy made it over to the elevator before the familiar ding sounded, and both men stepped into the elevator. He couldn't help but to peek at the smaller from the corner of his eye, though. The man looked a perfect amount of messy, and when he ran his hand through his hair to push it out of his face, Eddy had to make himself look away and remind himself the guy was taken. 

It seemed his neighbour would be driving to wherever he was going, as Eddy was the only one getting out on the ground floor while the smaller violinist continued down with the elevator to the parking facility below the building. Eddy was very okay with that, as the awkward silence in the elevator was suffocating him. He still gave a small wave as he exited though, wanting to be polite to the shaken looking guy. Eddy felt a bit bad. He had probably scared the shit out of him by opening the door in his face, after all. 


	7. Chapter 7

"Chen! Thank you so much for being able to come on such short notice," the concertmaster said upon meeting him by the door of the rehearsal hall. She reached her hand out and shook his before leading him through the large entrance area. "You're really saving us today. Three of our second violins called out today with sick kids in addition to Max, who you're replacing, so we really needed all the people we could get today." 

"It was no trouble at all," Eddy said with a polite smile, keeping the amount of work to move the lessons he was supposed to have this week to himself. "It sounded like Max was rather poorly when we talked on the phone?" 

The concertmaster turned to him with a sad look just as she opened a large metal door for the both of them, leading them into a corridor. 

"Yeah, he's… I suppose it would be useful for you to know. He's had a pretty bad heart attack, and then just this morning we learned he's had a stroke as well while in hospital," she explained with a sigh. "The guy's only fifty five, too. Way too young."

"Let's hope he'll be alright," Eddy said, not really sure what else to say. What do you say when you learn you're replacing a dear colleague who's in hospital after having been on the brink of death? "I'm sorry I'm here under such circumstances."

"Oh, no, don't worry about that at all! We're happy you're here," the concertmaster said, opening a door at the end of the hallway, which brought them out to the stage of a concert hall. "Let me show you your desk." 

They moved through a group of people who smiled politely at him and gave a small nod as they passed, and he tried to do the same back to everyone. He realized that making friends would be a good idea, as the orchestra members definitely had some say about who got a job there or not, even if they weren't supposed to formally. 

"Here we are," the concertmaster smiled as he led him to an empty desk, showing him the left chair. "Your desk partner will be here today, so I expect he's just around the corner."

"Thank you. I'm looking forward to this," Eddy smiled at her, sitting down on the chair he was shown as she left him to prepare for today's rehearsal. 

Eddy couldn't help the excitement building in him. His first proper substitute job in an orchestra, his first taste of professional life. The competition for the orchestra jobs and for the substitute jobs were tough, and most of his study mates were still doing auditions.

"So you're my new des…" a voice behind him began before trailing off, snapping him out of his thoughts. He turned to see who it was, and his heart skipped a beat when he recognized the man. "So they ended up picking you, huh?" 

"Hi uh, yes, it's… It seems like it," Eddy stuttered, taken with surprise. He extended his hand as an invitation to shake his. "Eddy Chen." 

"Brett Yang," his neighbour said, taking his hand and shaking it. Eddy couldn't help but notice how small and delicate the hand was compared to his. "Nice to… I guess get introduced to each other." 


	8. Chapter 8

Playing in a professional orchestra was so much better than Eddy imagined. The musicians listened to the conductor, and the music flowed like Eddy had never experienced before. His stand partner and neighbour seemed so relaxed and into it, which helped Eddy calm his nerves and play as well as a first rehearsal with only a short time to practice allowed. 

"Sounds like yesterday's practice paid off for you," his stand partner, Brett, commented as the conductor let them go for their scheduled break. Eddy leaned back in his chair for a moment. His brain felt like mush and they still had the second half of the rehearsal to go. 

"Thank you. It's my first day in a professional orchestra, so I figured I'd at least be decent despite the short notice." 

Brett nodded, his dark hair falling in his eyes as he did, so he pushed it back with his hand. 

"I figured it was when I saw your resume," he said as he undid his bow. Eddy's questioning look made him quickly continue his sentence, though. "Don't worry, you're doing good." 

"Why did you see my resume? I thought it was just the jury who saw it?" Eddy asked, copying him to pack his violin down in his case. He was starving, so getting some lunch was slowly becoming a priority. 

Brett chuckled a bit. 

"Yeah, it was just the jury," he shrugged, closing his case. "I guess it's hard to see the audience from the stage with the lights in your face." 

"You were on the jury? Why?" Eddy inquired, standing up when his stand partner did. He didn't really know where he was going, though. Where would the best place to get lunch be around here? 

"Wanna come with me to my usual lunch spot? I'll explain on the way," Brett offered instead of answering the question, and Eddy was definitely not opposed to that. 

"Yes please, that would be great." 

They walked together out of the building, Brett leading the way as Eddy didn't know any of the local places to grab lunch. A few of the other second violinists gave him a pat on the shoulder and a "well played" as they walked past, but apart from that people seemed to be finding their regular friend groups to get lunch with. 

"You do like bubble tea, right?" Brett asked once they got out into the long hallway, seeming to have all the time in the world despite lunch only being an hour. "I think I've seen you bring up a few cups." 

"I do, I love bubble tea. Are there any good places around to grab some?" Eddy inquired, opening and holding open the large metal door for Brett. He flashed him a polite smile.

"Yeah, I thought we'd go to this place which is kind of a café, but who also sells bubble tea. They have some awesome noodles, if you like that," Brett said with a small shrug, leading the way out to the main entrance of the building. Eddy followed willingly, happy to not have to search for somewhere to eat on his own. 

"Sounds amazing. I'm all for it." 


	9. Chapter 9

"Thanks again for driving me home. You didn't need to," Eddy said as they stepped into the elevator. "And for paying for bubble tea and lunch. I promise I won't leave my wallet in my violin case next time." 

Brett just shrugged, pressing the button for their floor with his pale hand. 

"Don't worry about it at all. You pay tomorrow," he smiled up at him as the doors closed in front of them. "And for the driving - you do realize I'm literally losing nothing by giving you a ride, right? I have to drive here anyway." 

Eddy couldn't help but chuckle at that. He was right, of course, but getting a ride without saying thank you felt wrong. 

"I know, I know. You're missing out on some quiet time, though," he pointed out instead, feeling the elevator move.

"I don't need more quiet time than I get when the conductor runs through stuff with the winds anyway," Brett snorted, shaking his head. "It's alright, it was nice having some company for a change." 

"Yeah, and I'm only here to bother you for a little while, anyway," Eddy sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I think it's only for this project, but I don't really know." 

"I guess we'll have to see what happens to Max," Brett said, a bit sadly. "I hope he will be okay." 

"I hope so too. Truly," Eddy said, placing a hand on Brett's shoulder just as they heard the familiar ding of the elevator and the doors opened. 

Eddy could feel the smaller man tense up for a moment before taking a quick step away from him. He didn't really understand why, but figured maybe he didn't fancy being touched. They barely knew each other after all. 

"Hey sexy," he heard a voice say as they both got out of the elevator, and Eddy knew instantly the voice wasn't talking to him. He looked up and saw Brett's boyfriend leaning against the doorframe of their apartment. 

"Hi Mike," Brett mumbled, a lot quieter than before, more like Eddy was used to hearing him until today. "I didn't know you'd be home already?" 

Mike walked over to the smaller man and gave him a kiss that looked almost forceful, but Eddy just figured that was their thing. They did seem to like it rough in bed already, so it made sense. 

"Well here I am. I've been waiting for you," he said, taking his hand firmly and pulling him towards their apartment door. "Come on." 

"I'll see you tomorrow," Eddy said with a small smile, but Brett barely had time to respond before Mike had shut the door. A small smile was all he managed before the familiar bang of his boyfriend shutting a door was heard. 

Eddy unlocked his own door with a click and headed inside. He took his shoes off and placed them neatly on the shelf before shuffling into his living room. The violin was placed in its usual spot by the end of the couch before he belly flopped down on the soft cushions. He was exhausted, but was really looking forward to the rehearsal the following day a lot more than before, and it was all thanks to his new friend who had made his first day a million times better than he had imagined. 


	10. Chapter 10

Eddy squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to hear it. Sure he had figured they were rough, but this? It sounded like someone was angrily thumping a log into the wall and fighting a wild animal at the same time. The sounds traveled through the walls and into Eddy's bedroom, making it impossible to even consider sleeping. Not even the sweet sound of the Debussy playlist he used for when he couldn't sleep could drown it out. 

After staring at the inside of his eyelids for a while, Eddy figured he'd go remind the happy couple that this was too much. He had a rehearsal in the morning, and even though it seemed Brett didn't need sleep he sure did. 

He pulled his duvet aside and slid his feet into his slippers, yawning a bit as he dragged them across the floor into the living room where the shared wall was. It sounded like whatever they were doing was happening right there in front of him, and it honestly made Eddy feel a bit sick. Something sounded off about it. It wasn't the sound of a loving couple making passionate love and whispering sweet words to each other. This sounded more violent, like the goal here was to get off by hurting the other. 

Eddy would've dismissed it. He would've dismissed it as some weird kink, some weird stuff he wanted to know nothing about. In fact, he was only a moment from banging on the wall back to announce the fact he could hear them when Brett's pleading voice sounded through the wall. 

_"Mike, please… please stop. Ow, please…!"_

The soreness behind it paralyzed Eddy for a moment, gluing him to the floor. Sure, it could be acting. Some fantastic acting that would be. Sure, it could be nothing but a weird kink. It could be a weird kink they both consented to, but then why did his voice sound like _that?_ Why was it so vulnerable, small and fragile and so very scared? 

Eddy had no idea what to do. What could he even do? He wanted to help, wanted to knock on their door and tell this Mike to get off the small man. The guy was huge though, and he could easily beat the crap out of both of them. Maybe call the police? And risk making it worse for Brett later on if he wasn't ready to leave the guy, though? 

Despite how uneasy he felt about it, he settled on recording what was happening on his phone for a bit and then he'd bang on the wall and sit there in his dark living room for a while to make sure nothing more happened. He didn't know how else to help his new friend. At least he could be a witness and have evidence if he was able to talk Brett into calling the police in the morning. 

Eddy fell asleep on the couch a while after they stopped and it became quiet. He was just relieved it did stop when he let them know he was there. 


	11. Chapter 11

"Hey, let's go," Brett said in a hushed voice after opening the door for Eddy's knock. He looked back into the apartment before shutting the door very carefully and locking it behind him.

"How are you?" Eddy asked softly as he walked alongside the smaller man over to the elevator, violin case strapped to their backs for the rehearsal. It was impossible not to notice the purple bruise under his collar where the strap from the instrument case pulled it slightly down, and it made Eddy feel sick. 

"Just a bit tired," Brett shrugged as the elevator arrived with the familiar ding. His slight defensive tone made Eddy feel unsure. "Didn't sleep well last night." 

"I can imagine," Eddy mumbled, not really sure how to continue. How did you ask someone you had only really talked to for the first time yesterday about how their relationship is going? 

They started the elevator ride down to the garage in silence. Eddy could see Brett adjust the shirt he was wearing to cover up the bruise with the help of the mirror glued to one of the walls in the small space. 

"Nice shirt, by the way," he commented softly, but immediately regretted it when the tense aura from Brett hit him. 

"Thanks, Mike got it for me," Brett replied, though Eddy couldn't imagine that to be true with how he had seen Mike dress. 

"He must know your style well, then," Eddy said, trying to not sound like he thought Brett was lying. He had no proof, anyway. Maybe he did just know the guy's style? 

"He does," Brett said, maybe a bit flatly, as the elevator dinged and the doors opened for them on the garage floor. "He's the… the love of my life. Of course he knows me."

The smaller man stepped out with quick steps towards his car and Eddy had to take long strides to keep up. It was clear from Brett's tone that the conversation about the shirt ended there. 

The car ride was as quiet as the first few seconds of the elevator ride had been. Eddy couldn't help but feel like he had said something wrong, something that hurt his new friend. Maybe he was wrong to think anything was going on in the first place? Was there a chance it had been consensual? 

Was it even his business to worry about it at all?

They parked outside the concert hall the rehearsals were in, and Brett was quick to get out of the car and grab his violin case.

"Are we late?" Eddy asked, a bit confused at his stressed fumbling with the straps of his case. He got out too and grabbed his case, though, not wanting to hold him up. 

"No, no, I just… I really gotta use the restroom before rehearsal," Brett mumbled, his voice cracking halfway through the sentence. He cleared his throat and fumbled with the remote on his car keys. "I'll just run ahead." 

"Okay, thank you for…" Eddy began, but as soon as the car was locked up, Brett ran off ahead into the large building. "... the ride." 


	12. Chapter 12

Brett didn't come back until a few minutes after the rehearsal had started, and the conductor had shot him a disapproving look because of it. Eddy thought the look was incredibly unnecessary when it was so obvious that the guy had been crying and was already struggling. Maybe it wasn't as obvious to everyone else as it was to him? He was paying so much more attention to the guy, especially today after what he had heard the night before. The need to protect the smaller man was maybe what made him so frustrated when the Finnish guest conductor, a conducting prodigy who wasn't even as old as Eddy was, seemed to overlook the obvious distress radiating from Brett. Couldn't he see that the man was already feeling down? 

"Are you okay?" Eddy whispered to him while the conductor ran through a section with the cellos and double basses, careful not to disturb what was going on ahead. He just couldn't stop worrying about his deskie when the shaky bow continued to happen throughout the rehearsal, and the fact that he rubbed his eyes every time he had the chance as if struggling not to cry didn't make it any better. Brett had tried to just shrug him off, but Eddy gave him a knowing look which after just a few moments made him give up with a defeated sigh. 

"I'll explain in the break," he whispered back, letting his bangs fall in his face as he looked down to where his hands carefully held onto his violin and his bow. He definitely sounded like he'd rather not explain anything at all. "Just leave it for now, I don't want any more trouble." 

The rest of the rehearsal, Eddy tried his best to not let his worry affect his playing. Thankfully, it seemed Brett was feeling better as he got more into the music too, and when the break came, he seemed almost back to normal. Almost. 

"Time for lunch. Be on time after the break, we have a lot to go through," the young conductor said, clearly shooting a glance at Brett as he said it. Eddy shot him a death glare back, but it didn't seem the blonde man cared as he took a step off the podium and disappeared out of the room. 

"Wanna go grab bubble tea and noodles, then?" Brett asked quietly with a sigh, already having put away his violin. He looked like he'd rather not but felt like he had to. Eddy was quick to copy him, not wanting to keep him waiting. 

"Sounds good to me," Eddy confirmed with a smile meant to cheer him up a bit. Unfortunately, the smile faltered a few moments later when Brett turned away, looking like he was fighting to keep his face as neutral as possible. 

"Let's go then," he mumbled quietly as he got out of his chair, leading the way out of the rehearsal space. Eddy was quick to shut his case and follow Brett's quick steps with his long strides. "We'll just get it over with." 


End file.
